Entry bubble Your Backyard National Parks!

By: Editor | May 25, 2009 | Category: Travel

Carl Chitwood has been Web Manager for the National Park Service since December of 2003 and has traveled to 124 of the 391 parks in that time.

Of all the weekend and day trips I make, none is more refreshing than a day in the mountains. Whether that day is spent at Catoctin Mountain or Shenandoah, just one or two days hiking in the crisp, fresh mountain air refreshes and recharges me for the inevitable energy drain of day-to-day work. On longer vacations, as a self described “mountain man stuck in urbania,” I always try to get to the mountains and spend time with nature. For me there is nothing better than a late spring day spent above 8,000 feet with my family. However, not everyone is a mountain person . . .Logo for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Almost everyone thinks of geysers or wildlife when they hear “National Park.” However, what you may not know is there are parks in almost every state covering everything from American cultural and societal history to beautiful natural landscapes and recreational activities. If you have an interest in something “American,” you can bet that there is a park for you.

This country is blessed to have such a vast and diverse National Park System. With 391 places to visit, it is almost guaranteed that you have one near you.

Get out there, enjoy your public lands, landmarks and places . . . you own them.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: culture   editor   history   national_park_service   national_parks   nature   science   travel  

 

Entry bubble The Sky's the Limit

By: Stephanie | June 09, 2008 | Category: Fun

I'm a bit of a space geek sometimes. I stood on the sidewalk in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, staring up in the middle of the night with my cocker spaniel, waiting for a bright light to appear and slowly streak across the sky. Astronaut tethered to Space Shuttle Discovery starboard sideWhen the International Space Station did appear (right on time), I got goosebumps. To think that people are living and working in the sky, so far away! And I loved that I was able to know what that moving light was—and the best time it was to appear—courtesy of NASA's sighting information, personalized for my location.

It seems like space folks really try to help you understand their work, in so many creative ways. For example, NASA's website features live coverage of major events such as the Space Shuttle landing or docking with the Space Station; a virtual tour of the International Space Station (complete with a music video); and a neat game where you go on your very own space mission led by a virtual astronaut. And you have until June 27 to send your name to the moon aboard a future lunar mission (yes, this space geek's name is on the list).

NASA also offers e-mails that let you know when certain satellites will be visible in your particular location, and e-mails and RSS feeds on general NASA news (with intriguing titles such as "The Physics of Whipped Cream" and "Moondust and Duct Tape" ). Several NASA blogs also keep you in the know; be sure to check out Chris and Blair's fun posts.

If you visit or live in the Washington, DC, area, you might enjoy attending the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's excellent, free planetarium shows that showcase which constellations are currently prominent in the night sky. Or drive to their skywatching presentation at a state park. The museum's relatively new Udvar-Hazy Center is also a must see (my favorites are viewing the Space Shuttle Enterprise and riding the nausea-inducing flight simulators).

Visit USA.gov's FAQs to learn more about eclipses and astronomy in general, satellites, and the International Space Station. Rocket science can be fun! And with the help of great websites, you just might turn into a bit of a space geek, too.

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: air   astronaut   astronomy   eclipse   lunar   moon   nasa   planetarium   rocket   satellite   science   shuttle   simulator   sky   space   station   stephanie